RC4WD Trail Finder 2

[MelvinsArmy]

I'd been thinking about getting a Trail Finder 2 since they came out, finally I bought one. All it took was a hiking trip up a creek at a nearby state park and I was like, man a scale crawler would be so much fun on a hike like this! So here it is. It took it out for its first run today. It's mostly stock, I replaced the driveshafts with Junfac units, as I read that the stock ones were garbage. That rumor was confirmed when I broke a knuckle on the table when I was putting the truck together, before I even hooked up a battery! I also put some rubber mirrors on and a modified Bruiser interior. The interior still needs some detail work and I think I might get a driver for it. The 4 screws used for securing the body, I replaced those with set screws so I could remove the body without any tools. Electronics are a stock Tamiya silver can motor, Futaba MC220 ESC, and a Hitec 645MG servo for steering. When it came to finishing it, I decided to keep it understated. A little light rust, a slightly dirty bed and a solid color paint job. I'm very happy with this truck. I like the way it looks and it's a ton of fun to drive around.

[vwjuice]

I've never like crawlers in rc or 1:1, but the scale side of things has me thinking of getting one of these. I love the scale trans and transfer cases. I have been looking at all the different things guys are doing with these. It would be cool too build one up like my 1:1 truck.

[MelvinsArmy]

rc crawlers are a lot of fun, at least I think so. It's a very relaxing, or leisurely form of rc. Like going on a Sunday afternoon bike ride. I definitely prefer the scale crawlers to the wild looking buggies and tube framed ones.

[vwjuice]

I think that's what bugs me is the ones that call them "jeeps" but it's a tube frame with a cheap hood and that's it. Some of the various trucks guy have built on the various forums are just insanley detailed. I do like that side. I need too finish several builds then it's either a TF2, scx10, or a Tamiya Hilux.

[scr8p]

i still need to get one of these.......

who wants to buy a couple of rc10 classic kits?

[vwjuice]

I'm thinking I need too sell off a few projects as well since I think I will never get too them.

[Diamond Dave]

Nice build Scott, I need me one as well. I used to own a very early Toyota pickup, the Hilux with the 22R motor, and 5 speed manual.

Yours looks just like mine did, but mine was Japanese army green with rust.

[SFC K]

That looks really nice and I like what you used for mounting the body, Clever idea.

Wait until flipwils11(Adam) sees this, he is going to want one...

BTW, where did you get the rubber mirrors from?

[RCMA]

These scale trucks do look pretty sweet and it would be cool to just play around, racing does tend to get a bit serious.

Lysander06

[youtube]xadyvv4wwW4[/youtube]

[illshou]

Take apart the front axle and shim the gears so the mesh is good. I had one that was so out it would skip the teeth...

[shodog]

These are really nice trucks. I bought one when they came out and stopped when I got to the body painting portion because at the time there were no tamiya spray paints available. I've built mine stock but have added an MFC for lights and sounds.

[Seabass]

Scott, nice truck. I too have one of these but I have not gotten the chance to really do much with it. I took it out on a run with the stock shafts and they did not last long, kept popping off. I tried to do a quick ziptie fix and ending up twisting the driveshafts up pretty good. I put the truck away and never touched it again. I need to pick up a pair of those shafts and get my truck done so I can go drive it. No reason to have the truck if it is going to sit on the shelf broken.

Jake

[MelvinsArmy]

Thanks guys. I really dig it. It is a TON of fun. At work today all I could think about was that I wish I was going for a nice walk thru the woods or down by the river with it.

Jeff, the rubber mirrors came off of ebay. I had to add the reflective part, I had some chrome decal material in my decal box and cut it to size.

I had to modify the Junfac shafts to get them to fit. I paired the long female with the short male and visa versa. This worked great on the front. The rear however, the female is still too long for the truck. I cut just under 1/4" off the end, seemed like an easy solution. After I cut the end off, I realized that the flat spot that keeps the male end from spinning only goes about 1/8" up the shaft! That was a nice surprise. Luckily I had some JB quick weld on the table, I mixed some up and put a gob on the interior wall of the shaft with a skinny allen wrench. I then pushed the male in a few times to make sure it had clearance. I let it cure and tried it again and everything was smooth. So far it's holding up nicely. I'm pretty impressed with the design of the Junfac shafts with the captured pins and all. They're made for another truck though, so they're not a direct fit, but they can be made to fit. The cost about half as much as the Punisher shafts, so I don't mind breaking out the Dremel and the JB to make them work.

[esaresky75]

Thanks guys. I really dig it. It is a TON of fun. At work today all I could think about was that I wish I was going for a nice walk thru the woods or down by the river with it.

Jeff, the rubber mirrors came off of ebay. I had to add the reflective part, I had some chrome decal material in my decal box and cut it to size.

I had to modify the Junfac shafts to get them to fit. I paired the long female with the short male and visa versa. This worked great on the front. The rear however, the female is still too long for the truck. I cut just under 1/4" off the end, seemed like an easy solution. After I cut the end off, I realized that the flat spot that keeps the male end from spinning only goes about 1/8" up the shaft! That was a nice surprise. Luckily I had some JB quick weld on the table, I mixed some up and put a gob on the interior wall of the shaft with a skinny allen wrench. I then pushed the male in a few times to make sure it had clearance. I let it cure and tried it again and everything was smooth. So far it's holding up nicely. I'm pretty impressed with the design of the Junfac shafts with the captured pins and all. They're made for another truck though, so they're not a direct fit, but they can be made to fit. The cost about half as much as the Punisher shafts, so I don't mind breaking out the Dremel and the JB to make them work.

I did the same thing, cut 1/4"off only to then realize the flat was only that long. I purchased a new shaft of the correct length, 95-130mm are the correct length for front and rear. The other problem that bothers me but doesn't seem to bother anyone else (many here are afflicted with this "every damn part must be perfect" disease), the factory driveshafts had one long set screw that went through the female part of the shaft and the male shaft. The Junfac shaft has two set screws meant to tighten on two flats of a shaft. Of course they don't align with hole on the pinion shafts, just before it. On the t-case, I machined two small pins and pressed then into the hole and then filed smooth. When I have time, I'm going to machine a new t-case shaft without the holes. The pinions I think I can live with.